John Richard Digby Beste
by George J. Dance John Richard Digby Beste (26 April 1806 - 17 August 1885), baptized John Richard Best, was an English poet, memoirist, and novelist.Frederick Boase, "John Richard Digby Beste, Modern English Biography, 4:387. English Poetry, 1579-1830, Web, Apr. 29, 2016. Life Beste was the son of Henry Digby Beste (1768-1836) of Mavis Enderby, Lincolnshire. He was educated at Stonyhurst College. He led a wandering life with his family, living in various parts of Europe and America, which formed the basis of his numerous novels and memoirs.John Henry Digby Beste (1806-1885), At the Circulating Library: A database of Victorian fiction, 18 February 2016, Troy J. Bassett. Web, Apr. 29, 2016. He married a distant relative, Harriet Mary Rosamond Best (born c.1810), the daughter of Charles Best (1773-1818/9) of Bath, on 12 January 1830. The marriage produced 7 children: Henry Digby (born 1831), Lucy (27 April 1834), Frank Digby (August 1835), Kenelm Digby (1836), Agnes (8 April 1838), Constable Digby (early 1840) and Isabella (24 November 1841).Preston, 4-5. He ran for Parliament as a Liberal in Southampton in 1844 and 1856.Preston, 1. In 1845, he became the first editor of '' Dolman’s Magazine and Monthly Miscellany of Criticism''.Preston, 10. In late 1850 he married Marian d’Oyley Meredith, at Marylebone church.Preston, 15. He died in Florence, aged 80, and was buried in the family tomb in the Campo Santa at Naples.Preston, 19. Publications Poetry *''Cuma, the Warrior-bard of Erin; and other poems''. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, 1829. *''Satires; and, The beggar's coin: A poem''. London: Hurst, Chance, 1831. Novels *''The Pope. A novel''. (3 volumes), London: Saunders & Otley, 1840. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III *''Isidora; or, The adventures of a Neapolitan: A novel''. (3 volumes), London: Saunders & Otley, 1841. *''Modern Society in Rome: a novel''. (3 volumes), London: Hurst & Blackett, 1856. *''Alcazar; or, the Dark Ages. A novel''. (3 volumes), London: Hurst & Blackett, 1857. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III Non-fiction *''Transalpine Memoirs; or, Anecdotes and observations shewing the actual state of Italy and the Italians'' (by "an English Catholic"). (2 volumes), Bath, UK: Richard Cruttwell, for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, 1826. *''Transrhenane Memoirs''. Bath, UK: Richard Cruttwell, for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, 1828. *''The new poor law in practice''. London: Ridgway / Southamption, UK: Joyce, 1837. *''Odious comparisons, or, The cosmopolite in England''. 1839. *''The Wabash; or, Adventures of an English gentleman's family in the interior of America]. (2 volumes), London: Hurst & Blackett, 1855; Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1970. ''Volume I, Volume II *''Nowadays; or Courts, courtiers, churchmen, Garibaldians, lawyers, and brigands, at home and abroad''. (2 volumes), London: Chapman & Hall, 1870. Volume I, Volume II *''A Traveller's Impression of Indiana in 1851. Fort Wayne, IN: Public Library of Fort Wayne & Allen County, 1954. Translated *Pierre Gringore, ''Rondeaulx: Translated from the black letter French edition of 1527. London: Saunders & Otley, 1838. Edited *''Holy Readings: Giving the cream of many books in one, hopeful and good for all Catholics everywhere''. London: R. Washbourne, 1868. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:John Richard Digby Beste, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Apr. 29, 2016. See also *List of British poets References *Richard Preston, "The Travels and Tribulation of an English Catholic: John Richard Beste (1805-1885)," Southampton Local History Centre. Web, Apr. 29, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *"Continuation of Collins's Ode on the Passions" *"Hasten ye Faithful, Glad, Joyful, and Holy" ;Books *John Richard Digby Beste at the Online Books Page *John Richard Digby Beste at GoodReads ;About *John Henry Digby Beste (1806-1885) in At the Circulating Library: A database of Victorian fiction *John Richard Digby Beste (1806-1885) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 *"The Travels and Tribulation of an English Catholic: John Richard Beste (1805-1885)" at Southampton Local History Centre. Category:1805 births Category:1885 deaths Category:19th-century poets Category:English novelists Category:19th-century novelists Category:English memoirists Category:English poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:English Catholic poets